Core modules in year one will introduce you to a wide range of issues in philosophy, religion and ethics from a variety of philosophical and theological perspectives. You may choose to focus on either philosophy or theology and religious studies in your choice of optional modules or combine the two.
Philosophy for Theologians
This module will provide an overview of the most important philosophical ideas, theories, and arguments that are of special interest to students of theology. The module will begin with the Greek 'natural theology' of the pre-Socratic thinkers and end with the post-modern 'turn to religion' of Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Christianity and the Challenge of Modernity
This module introduces students to the development of Western Christian theology, both Protestant and Catholic, from the Enlightenment to the present.
It surveys the challenges posed to Christian faith by modernity and a range of theological responses to these challenges.
It also introduces modern Christian approaches to ethics.
Watch Dr Michael Burdett give an overview of this module in less that 90 seconds.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Interpreting Islam
This module examines the narrative and textual foundations of the Islamic tradition including the Qur'an, the prophetic tradition and the life of the Prophet Muhammad. You’ll also look at the development and structure of Islamic society, law, doctrine and spirituality through the classical period, and Muslim responses to challenges posed by modernity including questions of gender and the nation state.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Interpreting Judaism
This module will introduce Judaism in the period from its formation to modernity. We will study major texts of Second Temple and Late Antique Judaism, the developments of medieval Jewish culture under Islamic and Christian rule, and key topics in early modern and contemporary Judaism. Special emphasis will be given to the textual strategies of Jewish readings of the Bible, to the continuing important of the Temple as a central religious symbol, and to the impact of the foundation of the state of Israel. The module will give students an overview of Judaism as a diverse tradition that has always engaged its Roman, Christian, Persian, Muslim and modern Western surroundings.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Reasoning, Argument, and Logic
Ideas are at the heart of philosophy. Creating them, arguing your case and defending your thinking is a core skill. Equally, being able to interrogate other people's arguments is essential.
The knowledge, skills and tools to do this can be learnt. And that's what we'll do together in this module. We'll help you to:
- understand the nature and structure of arguments
- acquire critical tools for assessing the arguments of others
- improve your ability to present your own reasoning in a clear and rigorous manner, particularly in essays
Philosophy isn't just about opinions and arguments. It's also about clear proof. So we'll also develop some knowledge of logic and its technical vocabulary.
As a core first year module it will help you develop some of the key skills you need to philosophise with confidence.
This module is worth 20 credits.
Mind, Knowledge, and Ethics
This is your main starting point to explore philosophical thinking about understanding ourselves and relationship with the world.
It introduces several different areas of philosophy, and the links between them. These include:
- philosophy of the mind
- perception
- epistemology
- agency
- normative ethics
- meta-ethics
Some of the key issues we'll look at include:
- the relationship between mind and body
- free will
- moral scepticism and relativism
- the nature of moral judgements
We know our students come with a wide range of philosophical knowledge and skills so this core first-year module helps develop a common level of:
- understanding of philosophical terms and concepts
- skills in argument and debate
This gives you the building blocks for successful study and philosophising in the rest of your degree.
This module is worth 20 credits.
Reading World Religions
Introduces religious traditions from Africa and Asia, including Traditional African Religion, Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism.
This module is worth 10 credits.
The existence of God
This module will examine the basic philosophical issues that concern the existence of God. The lectures will cover such topics as the Cosmological Argument, the Ontological Argument, the Design Argument, and the Problem of Evil. The issues raised in this module will be quite abstract and philosophical -- the module will not be engaging in any sort of comparative religion. Often the focus will be as much or even more on the merits of the argumentative strategy itself, and the interesting philosophical issues that arise out of it, as on whether it succeeds in proving or disproving God's existence.
The Bible in Music, Art and Literature
The Bible is a perennial bestseller and its influence on Western culture is unparalleled. This influence is not always obvious though, nor limited to the 'religious sphere'. In the Arts - whether Bach or The Beatles, Michelangelo or Monty Python - the use of the Bible is extremely varied. This module explores the ways the Bible is drawn upon in art, music and literature ranging from ancient Jewish synagogue mosaics and early Christian iconography, to contemporary - secular - films and music. Students are encouraged not only to engage with case studies of works of art which demonstrate the use and influence of the Bible, but also to consider critically the way in which art, music and literature - both 'religious' and 'secular' - function as biblical interpretations, and as part of the Bible's 'reception-history'. The module is taught by a variety of theologians in the department specialising in different areas of the Bible's reception. Introductory contributions on the influence of the Bible on, and through, a range of authors, musicians and artists can be seen in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies' Bibledex video project.
Metaphysics, Science, and Language
Come and explore some fundamental thinking about the world around us and our knowledge of it.
You'll look at questions such as:
- metaphysics – how should we think about the identity of things over time and through change? What does your personal identity over time consist in?
- philosophy of science – is science the guide to all of reality? Is there a scientific method?
- philosophy of language – what is truth? Is truth relative? Does language create reality?
An ideal introduction to metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of language.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Philosophy of Religions
All religions have a distinctive philosophical framework. Together we'll look at some of the common concerns such as:
- the variety of conceptions of ultimate reality
- goals for the spiritual life
- the nature of religious experience
- the relations of religion and morality
- explanations of suffering and evil
- human nature and continuing existence after death
As there is such a range of beliefs we'll also look at the problems of religious diversity.
Some of the sources we draw on might include (but is not limited to):
- atheists - Feuerbach, Nietzsche
- Buddhists - Śāntideva, Dōgen, Thich Nhat Hanh
- Christians - Augustine, Pascal, Weil
- Hindus - such as the writers of the Upanisads and Shankara
- Jews - Spinoza, Buber
- Muslims - Mulla Sadra, Nasr
- Taoists - Zhuangzi
More contemporary thinkers might also be included.
With such a wide range of issues and traditions the exact mix will vary - each year will focus on a few key thinkers and themes.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Philosophy and the Contemporary World
Philosophy can teach us to ask hard questions and help change the world for the better.
We'll help you develop the skills to critically understand and constructively engage with a wide range of contemporary issues. Together we'll tackle topics relevant to university life and wider society. You should finish the module with a greater understanding of:
- the value of philosophical thinking in relation to the contemporary world
- using key philosophical arguments, concepts and methods in everyday contexts
Possible topics we'll look at
- What is the purpose of education?
- Why value free speech?
- Censorship and pornography
- Race and Racism
- Sexual identities
- Disability
- Implicit bias
- People, animals and the environment
- Migration and refugees
- Drugs and sport
- Ethics and artificial intelligence
- Mental illness
This module is worth 20 credits.
History of Philosophy
Philosophy develops, confronts and destroys previous thinking. It reinforces the status quo and acts as a foundation for revolution. It's a product of its time and helps to shape the future.
Together we'll become familiar with some of the main philosophical ideas and thinkers that have shaped philosophy. And you'll come to understand how and why these ideas arose and developed in response to wider contexts and movements.
Influential thinkers might include:
- Plato and Aristotle
- Ibn-Tufayl and Ibn-Rushd
- Montaigne, Locke and Wollstonecraft
- Marx and Gandhi
- Fanon, Sartre and de Beauvoir
- Murdoch
Particular topics might include:
- ancient Greek conceptions of the good life
- reason and tradition in classical Islamic philosophy
- medieval philosophy
- existentialism
- Afro-Caribbean philosophy
You won't be taught whether any of these thinkers and thoughts were right. But by the end of the module you'll be able to recognise and judge for yourself the strengths and weaknesses of arguments on both sides of each philosophical issue.
This module is worth 20 credits.
Gender, Justice, and Society
- What is institutional racism?
- What do feminists mean when they say, 'The personal is political'?
- Are borders unjust?
- Are direct action and criminal damage legitimate forms of protest?
These are just some of the questions you'll think about on this module.
We'll take a critical look at some of the answers given by thinkers across the political spectrum, from right-wing libertarians like Robert Nozick to socialist anarchists like Emma Goldman.
We'll also look at some of the political contexts in which these questions have been asked and answered. This might include the:
- Peterloo Massacre
- civil rights movement
- invention of the police
- Paris Commune of 1871
- Black Lives Matter and Youth Strike4Climate movements
This module is worth 20 credits.
Interpreting the Hebrew Bible
This module is an introduction to the literature, history and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament or Tanakh.
Attention will be paid to the biblical text as history, as literature and as scripture in the Jewish and Christian traditions, both in general and with particular reference to specific texts.
Watch Dr Cat Quine explain why she thinks teaching biblical studies is far from boring.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Interpreting the New Testament
This module will cover the following themes: the canon and text of the New Testament; the Roman, Greek and Jewish background to the New Testament; source, form and redaction criticism of the Synoptic Gospels; the historicity of the Synoptic Gospels and Acts, and the authenticity of Paul's letters.
This module is worth 10 credits.
Islam and Gender
This module examines different approaches to the study of Islam and gender. We will look at texts of women and gender relations in the Qur'an, the Hadith and Islamic law. We will also consider the lived experience of gender and the development of Muslim feminist theology and critique, especially in 20th and 21st century Egypt and Iran. Topics will include Islamic marriage and family, Muslim women's rights and culture, sexuality and veiling, the gendering of space, including the mosque and homosexuality.